What did we do this weekend? Not a lick of book work. Oh, okay. On Friday I visited my friend Mr. Z. for lunch and book talk. But that’s far too enjoyable to be considered work.

Huck played in his first Little League basesball game. He wants me to tell you that he got two hits and struck out once.

We celebrated St. Patrick’s Day on Sunday night, one day early. It’s just easier to boil corned beef for four hours when I’m home all day, and on Sunday I was home most of the day.

You’ve read about my Italian in-laws’ fabulous holiday feasts. They’ve set the bar very high, cooking home made raviolis with gravy (that’s tomato sauce, to us non-Italians) that simmers for a few days, and offering as many as four different desserts. My mother-in-law came for dinner Sunday night, and we had corned beef and cabbage, which she thinks is very Irish and very good. St. Patrick’s Day is my people’s time to shine, culinarily speaking. Being of partial Irish descent, I boil all the flavor out of a fatty piece of beef for four hours, throw in one of the world’s most flavorless vegetables — cabbage — along with carrots and — what else? — potatoes, and then proclaim it delectable.

I think my Irish ancestors would be horrified, as authentic Irish cuisine is pretty tasty, but a Paddy’s Day corned beef brisket is the soup du jour of us Irish Americans. I like cooking, but it just isn’t one of my better skills. My mother-in-law smiles politely and eats it anyway, because she’s really just here on St. Patrick’s Day for the bread.

Though I’m not a chef, one thing I can do fairly well is bake. So, today Huck and I baked Irish soda bread from scratch. Spread on some real butter and have a nice cup of tea. It’s delicious!